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Category: Misinformation 101

  • Social media is a BIG part of the problem

    Studies have consistently found that social media is a major force driving the spread of misinformation. A new study adds to the growing body of literature finding that 85% of COVID misinformation was produced on social media, with Facebook being the biggest source (67%). The study also found that the United States, India and Brazil are the countries most impacted by misinformation. (September 28, 2021)

  • Misinformation spreads fast and far

    An oft-cited study from 2018 found that misinformation travels “farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth” – in part, because lies are often more interesting than facts. A more recent analysis came to a similar conclusion, finding that misinformation on Facebook got six times more “likes, shares, and interactions on the platform as did trustworthy news sources.” (September 28, 2021)

  • When it comes to misinformation, don’t trust your gut

    People who rely on intuition to make decisions are more likely to believe and spread misinformation. But those with “higher analytic thinking levels were less likely to rate COVID-19 misinformation as accurate and were less likely to be willing to share COVID-19 misinformation.” So, remember to pause and apply a bit of critical thinking! (September 28, 2021)

  • Our Favourite Books

    Whatcha reading?

    In honour of #SciLit week, our team is sharing their book (non-fiction & fiction) recommendations.

     

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  • 8 tips on how to Google like a pro!

    Want to level up your Googling?

    Google is an amazingly powerful tool if used correctly. Check out these helpful shortcuts and get the information you are looking for!

    This post was inspired by a twitter thread by Chris Hladczuk: https://tinyurl.com/SUFgoogling

    Check it out!

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  • What are you taking?

    Raise your hand if the past year and half has been tough!

    Though it’s been a struggle there are lessons learned that we want to bring with us. We want to know…

    What are you taking from the last year and a half? What are you leaving behind?

    Follow along as we share how we will #TakeScience as we safely return to the activities we love.

  • People value efforts to counter misinformation

    A study of how the public perceives online corrections of misinformation found that most people broadly endorse and appreciate the practice. Indeed, the majority report not only liking corrections on social media, but see it “as a public responsibility.” This is good news for those countering misinformation – your work is appreciated! (July 26, 2021)

  • Nudging people to pause and think about accuracy can help

    Numerous studies suggest that getting people to pause before they share online material might slow the spread of misinformation. Most people want to be accurate. But, as a recent study found, “people often share misinformation because their attention is focused on factors other than accuracy.” Finding ways to shift attention to accuracy can increase the “quality of news that people subsequently share.” Indeed, there seems to be a range of accuracy prompts that may be effective in this context. (July 26, 2021)

  • Yes, Debunking Works!

    The body of evidence highlighting the value of debunking continues to grow. One recent study found that debunking misinformation online “improved subsequent truth discernment more than providing the same information during (labeling) or before (prebunking) exposure.” Another study also concluded that countering misinformation is effective, particularly if content that is easily sharable on social media and promotes credible facts are utilized. (July 26, 2021)

  • Misinformer Tactic: Make you angry

    What makes you see red?

    When websites (1) and social media posts (2) trigger big emotions, they are better at spreading fake news. But one emotion in particular helps misinformation go viral – ANGER (3)
    One study found that as tweets convey more anger than joy, they get more retweets.(3).

    If you are feeling mad, you are also more likely to believe misinformation. To demonstrate this, researchers in one study purposely riled up participants by being rude, dismissive and insulting. Folks in the “mad” group were less likely to spot misinformation. They were also more confident about their wrong answers (4). The same goes for COVID-19 misinformation. Angry individuals were both more likely to think false claims were “scientifically credible”, AND were more likely to spread this misinformation (5). When mad, you are also more likely to look for information that confirms your views. This can create an echo chamber (6).

    In general, strong emotions can impair our ability to process scientific information. When running hot we’re more likely to oversimplify problems and look for quick solutions (7). Luckily there is something we do about it!

    • Provoking anger is a misinformer tactic. Being able to spot this strategy means you are less likely to fall for it (8).
    • Before you share, pause and think it through. People are less likely to “like” and share fake news when they are consciously judging accuracy (9,10).
    Sources
    1. Emerging and continuing trends in vaccine opposition website content
    2. Reliance on emotion promotes belief in fake news
    3. Anger makes fake news viral online
    4. Anger increases susceptibility to misinformation
    5. Anger contributes to the spread of COVID-19 misinformation
    6. Anger, Fear, and Echo Chambers: The Emotional Basis for Online Behavior
    7. Emotion and humor as misinformation antidotes
    8. Does Debunking Work? Correcting COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media
    9. Pausing to consider why a headline is true or false can help reduce the sharing of false news
    10. Fighting COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media: Experimental Evidence for a Scalable Accuracy-Nudge Intervention

  • Think fast!

    Have you heard this one before? ⚾

    You might have guessed the ball costs ten cents? If you did, you are not alone (1)!

    It may seem like the obvious answer, but it is incorrect. If the ball costs 10 cents then the bat would be $1.10 (a dollar more than the ball) for a total of $1.20.

    The correct answer is that the ball costs 5 cents, the bat is $1.05, for a total of $1.10.

    Why is this problem challenging?

    We can divide our thought process into two: fast and slow thinking (2).

    • Type 1: fast, automatic, and unconscious
    • Type 2: slow, deliberate, and conscious

    When we see the bat and ball problem our fast thinking immediately kicks in. But if we pause and go slow we can see how our initial assumptions don’t add up.

    Consider this example the next time you come across a new piece of information online. Before you share, pause and think.

    Ask yourself:

    • WHO made it?
    • WHAT is the source?
    • WHERE did it come from?
    • WHY are you sharing it?
    • WHEN was it published?

    We can all benefit from slooooowing down. Tag someone to remind them to pause today.

    Sources
    1. The Bat-and-Ball Problem: Stronger evidence in support of a conscious error process
    2. Dual-processing accounts of reasoning, judgment, and social cognition

  • Everyone is susceptible to misinformation

    When you picture someone who falls for fake news, who do you see?

     

    It turns out that people of ALL ages around the world are vulnerable to misinformation. While adults 65+ are more likely to share fake news stories on Facebook (1), conspiracy theories are being spread by teens on TikTok (2). A recent survey of over 20,000 Americans found that the younger you are, the more likely you are to believe in false claims about COVID-19 (3).

    When it comes to the pandemic, misinformation can be a matter of life and death (4).

    The good news is that you can protect yourself against misinformation.

    Don’t just debunk, PREbunk (5)! Think about prebunking as vaccinating yourself against misinformation. By learning to identify different types of misinformation and how to address it, you will be more prepared next time you come across an inaccurate claim. Want to practice? Visit mediasmarts.ca/break-fake (6). They have quick quizzes that help you learn how to spot suspicious posts. Keep a lookout for these tactics, the next time you read a post online.

     

    Sources
    1. Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook
    2. Why Teens are Falling for Tik Tok Conspiracy Theories
    3. The State Of The Nation: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey Report #14: Misinformation And Vaccine Acceptance
    4. Fact-checking as risk communication: the multi-layered risk of misinformation in times of COVID-19
    5. Inoculating Against Fake News About COVID-19

  • Misinformation Tactic – Moving the goalposts

    Picture this, you’re on the soccer field about to score a goal when out of nowhere, your opponent moves the net!

    Ever been in a disagreement that has felt like this?

    “Moving the goalposts” is a common tactic used by misinformers (1). The phrase describes an ever-changing target.

    It goes like this:

    Person A requests Person B to meet a certain goal. “Show me the vaccine is safe and effective”
    Person B completes the goal as asked. *Does a large-scale, randomized controlled trial evaluating safety and effectiveness*
    Instead of admitting that Person B has met the goal, Person A requests further goals. “But there were no studies about whether the vaccine makes you magnetic!”

    If you see someone being Person A, point it out! Highlighting gaps in logic can be an effective debunking strategy (2).

    But doing this without shame or ridicule — and leading with empathy — is CRUCIAL (2). Try to understand how willing a person is to an open and challenging conversation. You may want to save your time and energy and engage with them when they are open to listening (3).

  • The only thing magnetic about the vaccines is how attractive they’ll make you.

  • When you spot misinformation online, REPORT IT!

    When you spot misinformation online, REPORT IT! ️

    On Instagram you can report a post or comment as False Information! Tap the three dots on the top right, then tap Report > It’s Inappropriate> False Information > Submit Report. For a comment, swipe to the left > tap the exclamation mark in the speech bubble > tap “Report this comment.” Then follow the same steps as above.

    Share and put #ScienceUpFirst!

    You can get a guide from the @WHO on how to report posts anywhere on the internet by checking out our @ScienceUpFirst profiles on Facebook and Twitter.